The weekly messenger., 1887-11-05

Z
Others were tripped up of skepticism from
beng grlevously wronged by some man who
/ proteSSed to be a Christian, They had a
| partner IN business who turned out to be a
| hrst-class scoundrel, though a professed
Christian. Twenty years ago they had lost
/ all ialth by what happened in an oil company
| which was formed amid the petroleum ex-
element. The company owned no land. or
II they did, there was osign of oil produced.
I but the President of the colnDany was a
Presbyterian elder and the Treasurer was an
Episcopal yestryman. and one director was a
Metho list class leader, and the other direc-
tors prominent members of Rapt: # and Con-
gregational churches Circulars were gotten
out telling what fabulous prospects opened be-
fore this company. Innocent men and
women who had a little money to
invest, and that little their all, said: II don't
know anything about this company, but so
many good men are ut thr head of il that it
must be excellent, anil taking stock in it
almost as good as joining the church." So
they bought ;he stock, and perhaps received
one dividend 50 as TO keep them STILL but
after while they found that the company
had reorganiZed and had q different presi-
dent. and different treasurer. and different
directors. 1t was said, by way of explana-
ton. that other engagements or i'll health
had caused the former officers of the company.
with many regrets. TO resign. And all that
the subscribers of that stock had to
show for their investment was a beauti-
fully ornamented certificate. Sometimes
that man looking over his old papers
comes acros that certificate. and il is
20 suggestive that lie vows he wants none of
the religion that the presidents and trustees
and directors OF that oil company profeSSad
VI coarse their II ectOn Of religion on such
grom i was unph los Gphical and unwise |
am told that Onc-third oI tine United States
army deserts every year. and there are l2,0J0
~ nnI
thing against the United States Government
that swore them in. And if soldiers of Jesus
Christ desert, Is that anything against the
Christianity which they sssore to support and
defend! How do you judge of the currency
of Il country: By counterfeit bill. Oh,
you must have patience with those who have
been swiiidled by religious pf,.tenders Live
III the prcsencn of Others frank, honest.
earnest CmriStian life. that they may be at
tractesl to the same Saviourupon whom your
hopes depend.
Remember skepticiSm always has some rea- !
son. good or had, for existing. tioathes ire !
IIglon started when the nrws came TO Ger f.
many ef the earthquake at Lisbon, Nov. |
/. ll.5. That GO,no0r .ople should have per-
iShed IN that earthquake and in the after /
rising of the Tagus river so stirred his SWIM
pathieS that he threw I'd his belief in the |
goodness of God.
Others nave gone into ssepticis.n from a
natural persistence in asking the reason why. /
They h've been fearfully stabbed ct the in
ierroSation point. There are so mony things
thrv raanot get explained. They cannot
Understand the Trinity. or hDw God
q" D. sovereign. and yet man a
r'--. lent. Neither can l. Tnev .av:
- d,n's understand why good God
sh"l''' lave lei sin come into the world"
-~'.'.r il" |. \ cu say: ''Whv was that
child started IN life with such dEadvan-
tages' while others have all physical and
mental equipment - | cannot tell. They 90
,1t OF church on Easter morning and say:
. that do trineof the resurrection confounded
NE 40 1t Is to me mystery beyond I'M
rarelInent L understand all the processes by
which men get into the dark [ KNOW them
all. have travelled with burning feet their
Dhstered way The first word THAI children
earn to'uftei Is generally papa or mamma.
think the first word | ever uttered was
Why" | know what it is to have hum
ired Hhdnlgnts pour their darkness into
me ilsur- Such men are not to be
rohed at. bct helped. Turn your back upon
4 drowning man when YOU have the rome
with which to null him ashore, mad let that
woman in the third stovv of a house perish i'm
he flames when you have a ladder with
"hicn to Aelp her or& and help her down,
'ather Than turn Your back sc0fingly on n i
'keptlc whose soul is in mora peril than the |
bodies OF those other endangered ones posSi-
by caii ns- oh, skerflclsm IS dark land |
l here are men in tins house who would give
! Thousand worlds, if they possessed them,
70 get back to the placid faith of their fathers
and mothers, and il is our place to help them
md we may help them, never through their
but always through thar hearts
These skeptics, when brought to Jesus, will be
affected-far mere so than those
who never examined the evidences of Chris
'ianity: Thomss Chalmers was once salep-
'ic, Robert Han skactic Robars Newton a ]
'keptic. Christmas Evans skeptic. But
when once with strong hand they took hold
of the chariot of the Gospel. they rolled it ON
with what momentum. If address such
men and women to-day | throw out
no scoff: L inplead them by the mem
Dry OF the good old days when at their